If you are like most business owners or employees, you have experienced this scenario at least once in your life. When that happens, you might be wondering what programs should I include on the new computer to prevent the same thing from happening again. While many of the applications depend on what you do for a living, these six are essential apps for any PC.
1. Web browser
You will still find many PCs without a basic web browser, or an outdated one. You should install a reputed Web browser on your PC as early as possible. One reason is that many programs will have to be downloaded from cloud-based sites on the Internet. You also need a Web browser to do most of your business today. If you are an attorney, you will be searching up cases to act as precedents. If you are an IT professional, you will need to access forums and different code solutions. Which Web browser should you choose? You probably want both Firefox and Google Chrome. Some sites work better in Firefox, and Chrome is necessary for some places. Both are equally effective although sometimes, you will experiences interruptions.
2. Anti-Virus
Every PC needs to protect itself against viruses, spyware, malware, etc. AVG is a free application that is considered the best by technical people. You want to make sure you have installed software that protects against each of these problems. You might need several different software combinations to protect against all of them. For example, Spybot Search and Destroy protects against spyware. Hitman Pro protects against malware and advertising. When getting protection, read what the product offers as protection, so you know what you are going to need.
3.Removal Tools
When you purchase a new PC, you often have a pre-loaded anti-virus software that will expect you to pay once the trial is completed. If don’t want McAfee or Norton Anti-Virus, you will need to download the removal tool to eliminate it from your new PC. If you remove these, remember to install virus removal tools of your choice that can be activated when a virus does end up on your computer.
4. WinDirStat
This software will tell you how much space programs and videos are eating from your computer or laptop. It gives you a chart listing of all the usage by type, such as programs, documents, pictures, etc. You will be able to eliminate those items that are considered bloatware or causing other problems.
5. Office Suite
Although many business owners are using sharing software, such as Google Docs, it remains helpful to have a version on your computer. OpenOffice is a good one to have on your PC. It can emulate many programs out there and is free to download. When you need a document that you don’t want to make public, you can use OpenOffice or whatever program you choose. Many PCs today have Microsoft Office loaded.
6. Instant Messaging
Many people want you to send an instant message to them. You need the software application to be able to do that. If you use Digsby, you get the advantage of combining IM, gmail, Facebook and Twitter in one application. Today, you might not need as many applications on your PC as you used to need. So many products, such as customer relations, are available as a cloud-based system. You only need a login and password to access these programs. If you wanted to cut down how much you load onto your laptop, you can stick to these and get the rest online.
